Page 121 - sons-and-lovers

another wide, dark way opened over the hill brow. Occa-
sionally somebody came out of this way and went into the
field down the path. In a dozen yards the night had swal-
lowed them. The children played on.
They were brought exceedingly close together owing to
their isolation. If a quarrel took place, the whole play was
spoilt. Arthur was very touchy, and Billy Pillins—really
Philips—was worse. Then Paul had to side with Arthur,
and on Paul’s side went Alice, while Billy Pillins always had
Emmie Limb and Eddie Dakin to back him up. Then the
six would fight, hate with a fury of hatred, and flee home
in terror. Paul never forgot, after one of these fierce inter-
necine fights, seeing a big red moon lift itself up, slowly,
between the waste road over the hilltop, steadily, like a great
bird. And he thought of the Bible, that the moon should
be turned to blood. And the next day he made haste to be
friends with Billy Pillins. And then the wild, intense games
went on again under the lamp-post, surrounded by so much
darkness. Mrs. Morel, going into her parlour, would hear
the children singing away:
‘My shoes are made of Spanish leather,
My socks are made of silk;
I wear a ring on every finger,
I wash myself in milk.’
They sounded so perfectly absorbed in the game as their
voices came out of the night, that they had the feel of wild
creatures singing. It stirred the mother; and she understood
when they came in at eight o’clock, ruddy, with brilliant
eyes, and quick, passionate speech.

1 0 Sons and Lovers